West Ham’s improved Lucas Paqueta bid could reach £48m with ‘deal much closer’

West Ham have upped their bid for Lucas Paqueta and the final deal could reach £48milllion in total.

Lyon have already knocked back an offer but, as per L’Equipe, another bid has come in and an agreement is getting closer between the two clubs – with the Irons not giving up on the star just yet.

The transfer could even be completed sharpish – an initial £33.8m bid plus add-ons had been refused but now West Ham have returned to the table and bid a larger amount.

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The Ligue 1 side are yet to respond to the bid but the offer is thought to be closer to what they would like.

Paqueta’s agents have also been in London to hear out offers from clubs, but it’s the east Londoners who are in pole position.

Just this week Hammers boss David Moyes admitted that the club had made an offer for the 24-year-old, while singing his praises. “He can play as a number 10, an eight, and he plays as a false nine for Brazil quite often. I think his pedigree is really good,” said Moyes.

“Pedigree doesn’t always guarantee that it works, but you would hope that it helps towards him possibly getting better.”

The Brazil ace scored nine goals and contributed six assists in 35 Ligue 1 appearances last season.

The playmaker have also netted seven times in 33 games for Brazil – while he featured against the Irons during last season’s Europa League quarter-final – a tie in which the Premier League side won 4-1 on aggregate.

Moyes’ side at the only side in the league who are yet to earn a point or score a goal. They have had consecutive defeats in their opening three matches this season, with Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and Brighton all beating them.

West Ham signed left-back Emerson Palmieri from Chelsea on Tuesday in a deal understood to be worth £15m – marking the club’s seventh signing of the summer.

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